Dodecatheon
Encyclopedia
Dodecatheon is a genus of herbaceous
flowering plant
s in the Primrose family Primulaceae
. The species have basal clumps of leaves
and nodding flower
s that are produced at the top of tall stems that rise from where the leaves join the crown. They are commonly called Shooting Stars because of the flower shape. The genus is largely confined to North America
, and part of northeastern Siberia
. Common names also include, American Cowslip, Mosquito Bills, Mad Violets, and Sailor-caps. A few species are grown in gardens for their showy and unique flower display.
The stamen
s are thrust out with the sepal
s bent back. The flowers are pollinated by bee
s, which grab hold of the petals, and gather pollen by vibrating the flowers by buzzing their wings ('buzz pollination
'). The vibration releases pollen from the anthers.
Dodecatheon is related to the genus Primula
(primroses and related plants); in fact, Primula without Dodecatheon is paraphyletic. One way of avoiding this is to move the Dodecatheon species into Primula. If this is done, the former genus Dodecatheon becomes a monophyletic section
, Primula subg. Auriculastrum sect. Dodecatheon (L.) A.R.Mast & Reveal.
to produce seeds.
Dodecatheon can be propagated by division in winter.
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the Primrose family Primulaceae
Primulaceae
Primulaceae is a family of flowering plants with about 24 genera, including some favorite garden plants and wildflowers. It is also known as the primrose family.- Genera :...
. The species have basal clumps of leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
and nodding flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s that are produced at the top of tall stems that rise from where the leaves join the crown. They are commonly called Shooting Stars because of the flower shape. The genus is largely confined to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and part of northeastern Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. Common names also include, American Cowslip, Mosquito Bills, Mad Violets, and Sailor-caps. A few species are grown in gardens for their showy and unique flower display.
The stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s are thrust out with the sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s bent back. The flowers are pollinated by bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, which grab hold of the petals, and gather pollen by vibrating the flowers by buzzing their wings ('buzz pollination
Buzz pollination
Sonication or buzz pollination is a technique used by some bees to release pollen which is more or less firmly held by the anthers, which makes pollination more efficient. The anther of buzz-pollinated species of plants is typically tubular, with an opening at only one end, and the pollen is inside...
'). The vibration releases pollen from the anthers.
Classification
Primula
Primula is a genus of 400–500 species of low-growing herbs in the family Primulaceae. They include primrose, auricula, cowslip and oxlip. Many species are grown for their ornamental flowers...
(primroses and related plants); in fact, Primula without Dodecatheon is paraphyletic. One way of avoiding this is to move the Dodecatheon species into Primula. If this is done, the former genus Dodecatheon becomes a monophyletic section
Section (botany)
In botany, a section is a taxonomic rank below the genus, but above the species. The subgenus, if present, is higher than the section, and the rank of series, if present, is below the section. Sections are typically used to help organise very large genera, which may have hundreds of species...
, Primula subg. Auriculastrum sect. Dodecatheon (L.) A.R.Mast & Reveal.
Cultivation
Dodecatheon needs good drainage and often dry soils in summer and winter when plants are dormant, in the spring plants like moist soils for best growth. Plants grown in dry soils tend to be smaller and lower growing. Since plants typically go summer dormant, seed raised plants need three or more years of growth before they are large enough to bloom. For some Dodecatheon, if given frequent light fertilization and kept moist, dormancy can be delayed resulting in larger plants after germination and the interval between germination and flowering decreased by a year or two. Another technique to shorten the interval between seed germination and flowering is to place the plants in a cooler after dormancy has set in, in late spring, and after a number of weeks move the plants to a shadehouse in midsummer where new growth will start. The flowers need buzz pollinationBuzz pollination
Sonication or buzz pollination is a technique used by some bees to release pollen which is more or less firmly held by the anthers, which makes pollination more efficient. The anther of buzz-pollinated species of plants is typically tubular, with an opening at only one end, and the pollen is inside...
to produce seeds.
Dodecatheon can be propagated by division in winter.
Species
There are 14 species:western North America |
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British Columbia Dodecatheon jeffreyi Dodecatheon jeffreyi is a species of flowering plant in the primrose family known by the common names Sierra shooting star, Jeffrey's shooting star, and tall mountain shooting star. This wildflower is native to western North America from California to Alaska to Montana, where it grows in mountain... California Saline Shooting Star Washington, Oregon Dodecatheon pulchellum Dodecatheon pulchellum, commonly known as pretty shooting star, few-flowered shooting star, dark throat shooting star and prairie shooting star, is a perennial herb with single, leafless flower stems, growing from very short erect root stocks with no bulblets... western North America, northwest Mexico; naturalized in eastern US Dodecatheon redolens Dodecatheon redolens is a species of flowering plant in the primrose family known by the common name scented shooting star. This wildflower is native from California through Nevada to Utah, where it grows in moist areas, especially in desert mountains.-Description:Dodecatheon redolens is a hairy,... southwestern United States |
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eastern North America
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External links
- Treatment from the Jepson Manual
- ITIS 23943
- Cullina, W., and Cullina, B. (2000). The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada. Houghton Mifflin Company, ISBN 0-395-96609-4.
- Oregon Flora Project